An unusual winter storm is hitting Southern California this week, bringing heavy rain, hail and possible snow to elevated valleys in the Los Angeles metropolitan area.

Rainfall amounts will range from 2 to 5 inches for coastal areas and valleys, according to the National Weather Service. As much as seven feet of snow accumulation is possible in the mountains above 4,000 feet.

NWS has issued several weather alerts for Southern California, including high wind warnings, winter storm warnings, and a rare blizzard warning for Los Angeles County mountains.

[Great gallery of pictures at the link. Ah, memories and rare ones. One year at our squadron’s Christmas party at MCAS El Toro in Orange County, it was 26° with snow flurries. When I got a little Ebola back to our townhouse afterward, I had to pin a bedsheet over the slider, because that one pane of glass was letting so much cold in, we were freezing on the couch trying to watch TV. Fired up that gas furnace for the first time in 8 years – whew. The dusty stench.~ Beege]